Allison Campbell President Oral Report to Council Wednesday, August 23, 2017 Good morning Councilors and members of governance. I am pleased to provide you with my final report as ACS President on my activities since last April. This past Sunday, in conjunction with the ACS Office of External Activities & Communication, we hosted an invitation only Speaking with Congress Advocacy Workshop where we trained ACS members to effectively engage with their members of Congress. This half-day workshop provided attendees with practical advice on engaging with Congress, as well as hands-on training opportunities via interactive role-playing. I am also pleased to announce the launch of the newly developed Advocacy Toolkit as a resource and training platform for members to connect with policymakers. Later that afternoon, I co-hosted a Presidential symposium Science Communications: The Art of Developing a Clear Message with Sir John Holman, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry. We decided to organize this jointly, as the value of communicating science transcends borders, and is larger than just chemistry. In order to effect change, those not in the profession must come to understand the value we as chemists provide to their lives and for the benefit of our planet. I was pleased that the President of the German Chemical Society, Dr. Thisbe Lindhorst was also able to joint us. All day on Monday, the Division of Chemical Health & Safety and I showcased chemical safety approaches through the Presidential symposium Building a Safety Culture Across the Chemistry Enterprise. The morning session focused on top-down institutional approaches, with the afternoon focusing on grassroots approaches. Safety is a critical aspect of the chemistry enterprise and we must build a culture that keeps ourselves, our fellow researchers and our environment safe. Aligned with my mention of our environment, the Presidential symposium on Tuesday Understanding the Chemistry of our Planet was a great success - showcasing renowned researchers discussing the transforming power of chemistry that is ubiquitous to life on Earth. The symposium delved into the broad elements of chemistry’s role in our Earth System – from soil science and plant chemistry to impacts from aerosols and oil spills. In San Francisco, ACS formed the Public Access and Diversity Stakeholder Working Group to help develop the Society’s response to various ‘bathroom bill’ legislation. The Working Group developed a Freedom to Meet Without Limitations statement, and it was approved during the June ACS Board of Directors meeting. We have since sent a letter of guidance to the Chairs and Councilors of local sections in Texas, and we are awaiting final action in the Texas Legislature’s Special Session before making any final recommendations to the Board. Council will be alerted to any action ACS takes in response to the legislation becoming enacted.
Lastly, I would like to thank all of you who have made my Presidential year a success. I have received a tremendous outpouring of assistance, advice and resources from members of committees, local sections, and divisions as I have looked to fulfill my Presidential themes. Your time and devotion to the Society are immensely appreciated. Please continue to share your ideas and suggestions with me, and contact me at
[email protected] Thank you, this concludes my report.
